Electric terminal



Jan. 2, 1951 J, w rr 2,536,862

ELECTRIC TERMINAL Original Filed Aug. 30'; 1945 l/V VENTOR.

. JESSE M. WIA-,IITE, DECEASED,

' BY ELEANOR FLEISCHMANN,

Co- EXECUTRIX ATTORN EY 1 Patented Jan. 2, 1951 ELECTRIC TERMINAL Jesse M. White, deceased, late of Philadelphia,

Pa., Merion, Pa.

by Eleanor Fleischmann coexecutrix,

Continuation of application Serial No. 613,468, August 30, 1945. This application September 1, 1948, Serial No. 47,261

This invention relates to electric terminals and is concernedprimarily with certain improvements involving the anchorage of a conductor t a terminal. r

This application is a continuation of the copending application of Jesse M. White, Serial Number 613,468, filed August 30,1945, now abandoned, entitled Electric Terminal.

At the present time, it is common practice throughout the various arts in which electric terminals are employed, to utilize a terminal which consists essentially of a piece of sheet metal that is shaped to provide a fork or bifurcation that is adapted to encircle the binding post and a channel construction which receives the conductor of a cable, the insulation having been stripped back to bare the conductor.

It has also been the practice in this art to anchor the conductor of a cable to a terminal like this to the channel portion of the terminal by passing, it beneath a strap which is struck from the terminal body and which is defined by slits on each side thereof. After passage beneath this strap, the strap is again pressed back so as to generally conform to the contour of the terminal and thereby anchor the conductor.

It has also been proposed to bring the hatred. conductor in from the side adjacent to the binding post connection and then fold the conductor back upon itself to increase the anchorage effects.

' The above noted arrangement, which is typical of the prior art, presents certain disadvantages due to the close proximity of the side edges of each of the slits which define the strap. There is a tendency of these edges to sever the conductor when the strap is pressed back into place. This, of course, seriously weakens the connection. Then again, in a single strap structure of the type indicated, the strap is required to perform two functions. It must act not only as the connecting or anchoring means, which establishes the connection between the conductor and the terminal, but also as the abutment means about which the conductor is bent in being folded. back upon itself.

The carrying out of this latter function also has a tendency to weaken the connecting elements.

With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has in view as its foremost objects, the provision in an electric terminal of the type indicated, of a channel structure for receiving the cable, and which structure ischaracterized as including a pair of straps spaced apart and each of which is defined by slots of appreciable width, in contrast. to slits which, theoretically, have no width.

choring means, and when this strap is pressed back into the shape of the channel structure. the

4 Clainis. (Cl. 173-269) 4 width of the slots accommodate the conductor so as to preclude any shearing action.

In the construction above proposed, the strap which, is more remote from the terminal post connection, is employed as the connecting or anchoring strap, while the other strap, which is intermediate the connecting strap and the terminal post connection, acts as an abutment about which the cable is bent in being folded back upon itself. Thus, the functions of the abutment strap are removed from those of the connecting strap so as not to impair the function of the connection established by the latter.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention such as arise in connection with the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment, will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated asthe description of the invention proceeds.

The invention therefore comprises an electric terminal, consisting of a binding post connection and a cable receiving channel which are integrally connected together and with the channel bein formed with a pair of spaced straps, each of which is defined by a slot of appreciable width on each side thereof, and which straps are struck or deformed from the channel structure so as to provide for the passage of a bared conductor therebeneath.

The strap more remote from the binding post connection constitutes the connecting or anchoring strap, while that adjacent to the binding post connection constitutes an abutment strap about which the conductor may be bent as it is folded back upon itself.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference maybe had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the terminal of I this invention prior to the application of the stranded conductor thereto;

Figure 2 is an elevational view taken from the forked end of the terminal; V

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the end of a stranded and insulated conductor in place for attachment to the terminal; v

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the secure electrical connection effected between the skirt portions of the terminal;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the terminal and insulated conductor in completely assembled and attached condition, and

Figure 7 is a view partly in section the electrical and mechanical connections between the various parts 'of the complete device and conductor.

Referring now to Figure l, the terminal generally referred to by the letter T is formed from a fiat strip of metal having appreciable spring characteristics, such as hard ibra-ss, bronze or other metal having suitable characteristics. 'From the plane of the flat strip opposing skirt portions Ill and II are pressed upwardly into opposing relation to define a channel 1T2 thereibetween. A binding post connection or anchoring strap l3 lying transversely of the base of channel I2 .is formed from the plane of the terminal 'bodyby the cutting of slots !4 and I5. These slots may be out prior to the raising of skirt portions i and II by dies or by a cutter after channel 12 is formed.

'The slots 14 and lfishould have sufficient width to permit the strap [3 to be bent downwardly from the position indicated in Figures 1 and 2 almost into the bottom wall of channel I? when the stranded conductor is completely attached without shearing or damaging the strands of the conductor.

Spaced longitudinally'inchannel 52 from strap I3 is a clamping strap or bridge it which lies transversely of the channel l2 and is cut from the plane of the terminal material. The end of the terminal, opposite the skirts H3 and i i, is formed into a fork 'l 'L'the opposing jaws E3 and I9 thereof being bent in opposite directions as shown in Figure 2 anddefining a mouth 2% having a transverse dimension less than the diameter of the post-receiving ring portion 2% of the terminal'T.

Referring now to Figure 3, the stranded insulated conductor shown generally by the letter C, having a conductor core 22 formed of a plurality of copper wires of small dimension and an insulating jacket or cover 23 formed of rubber and encased in the conventional braided sleeve, is *repared for attachment by stripping the insulw tion '23 from the conductor core 22 at the end of conductor C. This stripped end, shown generally at in then insertedbeneath the attaching strap or bridge and the binding or anchoring strap As shown in Figure 4, binding strap T3 is then pressed downwardly very firmly until it flattens the cylindrical formation of the individual wires of the conductor core 22 and clamps them into efficient current conducting contact. Due to the width as well as the length of slots l4 and l 5, the individual wires of core .22 are free to spread and be bent into clamped relation while still retaining their mechanical strength and current carrying capacity.

It is to be noted that attaching strap I6 is not bent downwardly toward the base of channel 12 and upon the conductor core 22 to such a degree as strap l3 because the primaryiunction of strap i6 is to provide a mechanical holding means and abutment when the insulated portion of conductor C is swung from the position shown in Figure 4 through substantially 180 degrees to the position shown in Figure 5. After the insulated portion of the conductor rests upon the bottom of channel i2, with a portion thereof resting upon strap 13 and having an end thereof abutting against one edge of attaching strap iii, the skirts (E and H are bent around the insulation of conductor C into secure clamping engagement.

Due to the restricted mouth 21! of fork ll, it can beseen that the forked end of the terminal could not be pressed directly upon a terminal post shaving a diameter snbstantially equal to the ring portion 21 of the terminal, nor *could the terminal T be withdrawn from the terminal post after assembly without a slight tilting of the terminal with a resulting springing of the jaws l8 and I9. Due to their opposite angles of in- -clination, these jaws-separate into planes inclined to 'and spaced from the plane of the main body of terminal T.

After assembly upon a terminal post while the terminal nut is still in position upon the post, the

terminal nut is tightened to clamp the jaws l8 and 19 so as to bring them more closely together and into approximately the same plane to maintain the connection. Thus, assembly of the terminal upon the terminal post maybe efiected more quickly than the prior art ring terminal, and the connection between the terminal and terminal post will be more secure than the prior art forked terminal.

'Due to the clamping means of electrical and mechanical attachment of the conductor to the terminal, the metal of the terminal T is able to retain its normal characteristics, which would be lost by the application of acid and heat duri-ng the conventional soldering operation.

Likewise, the clamping attachment provides a connection of 'long life due to freedom from the use'of heat and acid which tends to destroy the serviceabilityof the stripped 'end '24 of conductor C and the insulation 23 immediately adjacent thereto.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction and details illustrated and described because various modifications of these-details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electric terminal, a binding post connection and a channel structure, said channel structure being formed with a pair of parallel slots of appreciable width and spaced apart to define a strap, said strap being raised from the main body of said structure and integrally joined thereto at each end to provide for the insertion therebeneath of the bared end of an electric conductor, said raised portion being adapted to thereafter be pressed down to securely anchor said conductor to said structure with the slots having spaced edges accommodating the conductor.

2. In an electric terminal, a binding post connection and a conductor receiving channel, said conductor receiving channel comprising a base and strap struck'upwardly from said base to provide a vertical clearance between the strap and base, the base on each side of the strap being cut away to provide a lateral clearance between the strap and base, said strap being integrally joined to said base at each end and adapted to be pressed down on a conductor inserted between the strap and base for clamping the conductor therebetween, with said clearance accommodating the conductor to preclude shearing of the wire resulting from the clamping operation.

3. in combination, a terminalhaving a binding post connection and a conductor receiving channel, said channel having a base and connecting strap struck upwardly from and extending transversely of the base of said channel, the base on each side of saids'trap being cut away to provide lateral vertical clearance between said strap and said base, an abutment strap struck upwardly from said base and extending transversely of said channel in spaced relation with respect to said connecting strap, a conductor having a portion disposed beneath both said straps, said connecting strap being pressed down for clamping the conductor between said strap andsaid base, the conductor being bent about said abutment and returned across the tops of both said straps, and side wall portions carried by said base and adapted to be bent inwardly upon the conductor as so connected for binding the same in position.

4. In combination, a terminal having a terminal post receiving portion and a conductor receiving channel, a connecting strap extending across the base of said channel and separated along its sides from the bottom wall of the channel by slots, a clamping and abutment strap spaced from said connecting strap and lying transversely of said channel, a stranded conductor having a portion lying beneath said connecting strap and said clamping and abutment strap and a portion lying above said straps and clamping skirts joined to the bottom wall of said channel and securely holding the body of said conductor with said connecting strap pressed close to the plane of the bottom of said channel to connect said conductor and terminal in good mechanical and electrical contact.

ELEANOR FLEISCI-IMANN, CO-executrix of the Estate of Jesse M. White,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

